Aunt Polly placed small trust in such evidence. She went out to see for herself; and she would have been content to find twenty per cent. of Tom’s statement true. When she found the entire fence whitewashed, and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. She said:
“Well, I never! There’s no getting round it, you can work when you’re a mind to, Tom.” And then she diluted the compliment by adding, “But it’s powerful seldom you’re a mind to, I’m bound to say. Well, go ‘long and play; but mind you get back some time in a week, or I’ll tan you.”
She was so overcome by the splendor of his achievement that she took him into the closet and selected a choice apple and delivered it to him, along with an improving lecture upon the added value and flavor a treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. And while she closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he “hooked” a doughnut.
Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway that led to the back rooms on the second floor. Clods were handy and the air was full of them in a twinkling. They raged around Sid like a hail-storm; and before Aunt Polly could collect her surprised faculties and sally to the rescue, six or seven clods had taken personal effect, and Tom was over the fence and gone. There was a gate, but as a general thing he was too crowded for time to make use of it. His soul was at peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his black thread and getting him into trouble.
What is a Yearbook Theme?
Consider the yearbook theme as the attitude or personality of the year for your school. It is a perfect medium to tell a story that will be remembered by all in a positive or spirit-related format. Your school yearbook should record the events of the year and celebrate the milestones of the year under the unified story format of your the theme. Yearbook themes come in different shapes and sizes based upon the attitude of the year. Yearbook themes are discussed and portrayed in all sections of the yearbook, especially on the cover, endsheets, title pages, opening pages, closing pages, and division pages for each section of the school yearbook.
Good Yearbook Theme Ideas:
Here are a few themes you can consider just for starters:
- A Cut Above
- A Day in the Life
- A Flash from the Past
- A New Awakening
- A New Point of View
- A Season of Change
- A Step Above the Rest
- A Touch of Class
- Anyway You Slice It
- Attention to Detail
- Between the Lines
- Breaking Thru
- Built to Last
- Capture the Magic
- Catch the Moments
- Caught in the Act
The key to developing a good yearbook theme is making sure you address the theme in every section of your yearbook as well as the cover and endsheets (if applicable). Consider playing off words of the yearbook theme as titles for each section or work on conceptual themes that play of a yearbook idea vs. words.
As a yearbook publishing company, we are often asked to provide our expert opinion about the yearbook publishing process. One question that is repeated time and again is what are the best ways to develop a yearbook theme, or ideas for developing your yearbook theme. YearbookLife is happy to share some yearbook theme ideas for your elementary, middle or high school yearbook project.
What is a Yearbook Theme?
- Consider the yearbook theme as the attitude or personality of the year for your school
- It is a perfect medium to tell a story that will be remembered by all in a positive or spirit-related format
- Your school yearbook should record the events of the year and celebrate the milestones of the year under the unified story format of your the theme.
- School yearbook themes come in different shapes and sizes based upon the attitude of the year.
- Yearbook themes are discussed and portrayed in all sections of the yearbook, especially on the cover, endsheets, title pages, opening pages, closing pages, and division pages for each section of the yearbook.
Possible Yearbook Themes
The key to developing a theme is making sure you address the theme in every section of the yearbook. Here are a few themes you can consider just for starters:
- A Cut Above
- A Day in the Life
- A Flash from the Past
- A New Awakening
- A New Point of View
- A Season of Change
- A Step Above the Rest
- A Touch of Class
- Anyway You Slice It
- Attention to Detail
- Between the Lines
- Breaking Thru
- Built to Last
- Capture the Magic
- Catch the Moments
- Caught in the Act
Choose a theme and begin to develop it.
Example of a Theme
The key to developing a yearbook theme is making sure you address the theme in every section of the yearbook as well as the cover and endsheets (if applicable).
Consider playing off words of the theme as titles for each section or work on conceptual themes that play of an idea vs. words.
Consider working with a theme like: “Inside & Out”
- Stud. Life: Inside our Walls
- Sports: On the Sidelines
- Clubs: Siding with Others
- Portraits: Side by Side
- Acad.: Sides of Success
- Ads: Outside our walls…
Did you notice how a word that is part of the theme is developed and ties to yearbook theme as well?
Creating a yearbook is a rewarding yet intricate process that requires careful planning and organization. To help you navigate this process smoothly, we’ve developed a month-by-month guide to ensure you stay on track from start to finish.
August–September: Laying the Groundwork
- Recruit Your Yearbook Committee: Assemble a dedicated team of students, teachers, and volunteers to work on the yearbook. Assign the roles & responsibilities to each person and/or group (e.g., editor, photographer, designer, writer, marketing & advertising, etc.). With everyone playing their part, you’ll create a great yearbook.
- Determine the Budget: Set the overall budget for the school yearbook; consider the number of pages, printing costs, and any additional features like embossing or glossy pages.
- Select a Theme and Style: Choose a theme that captures the essence of your journey and creates a unified story. Think about how the tone, color palette, and design elements will work together to reflect the spirit and memories of the school year. Aim for a design that not only ties everything together, but also engages and inspires those who flip through the pages.
- Set Preliminary Deadlines: Work together to identify and outline key dates and deadlines, including photo shoot dates, content submission timelines, and page completion milestones. Doing this will ensure that the project stays on schedule and everyone remains organized and accountable.
October–November: Content Planning and Preparation
- Create a Content Plan: Map out the sections of the yearbook (i.e. student life, sports, clubs, events, etc.). Here is what a school yearbook should include. Then assign responsibility for each section to specific team members.
- Confirm Important Deadlines: Establish key deadlines for content submission, school photography, and yearbook layout design.
- Photography Strategy: Coordinate with photographers to capture school events, portraits, and candid shots.
- Brainstorming Sessions: Hold brainstorming sessions with your team to come up with creative ideas for features, captions, and other engaging content.
- Reach Out for Contributions: Encourage students, teachers, and parents to contribute to the yearbook by submitting stories, quotes, and photos. Use social media to increase engagement from your fellow students, teachers and parents.
December–January: Creating Content
- Gather and Review Submissions: Start gathering articles, photos, and other content from students and staff.
- Begin Layout Design: Work on the design of the individual pages, keeping the theme and aesthetic in mind. Use the theme and style you’ve chosen to create visually appealing layouts. Remember to leave space for last-minute additions.
- Write Captions and Headlines: Craft engaging captions and headlines that capture the essence of the moments featured in your photos and stories.
- Progress Check: Review the progress of each section and ensure that the project is moving according to the timeline. Address any bottlenecks or delays.
February–March: Finalizing Content
- Finalize Layouts: Complete the design of all pages, making sure everything aligns with your theme and vision. Pay close attention to detail, ensuring that fonts, colors, and images are consistent throughout the yearbook.
- Editing and Proofreading: Thoroughly edit and proofread the entire yearbook. Check for spelling and grammar errors, as well as design inconsistencies. It’s a good idea to have multiple people review the content to catch any mistakes.
- Approval Process: Present the near-final draft to key stakeholders, such as school administrators, for approval. Make any necessary adjustments based on their feedback.
- Prepare for Printing: Once the yearbook has been finalized, prepare the files for printing. This includes ensuring that all images are high resolution and that the layout is print-ready.
April: Submitting for Print
- Submit to Printer: Send your final files to the printer. Be sure to confirm the print schedule to ensure that your yearbooks will be delivered on time.
- Plan Yearbook Sales: Develop a strategy for selling the yearbook. Consider pre-orders, online sales, and in-person sales at school events.
- Marketing Campaign: Launch a marketing campaign to promote yearbook sales. Use social media, school newsletters, and announcements to encourage students and parents to purchase their copies.
May: Distribution and Celebration
- Organize Distribution: Coordinate the distribution of yearbooks to students. This could be done during a special event, such as a yearbook signing party, or through a designated distribution day.
- Celebrate Your Team’s Success: Take time to acknowledge the hard work of your yearbook team. Consider hosting a small celebration or giving out awards for outstanding contributions.
- Feedback and Reflection: Gather feedback from students, teachers, and parents on the yearbook. Reflect on the process and make notes for next year’s team.
June–July: Planning for Next Year
- Debrief and Documentation: Hold a final debrief with your yearbook team to discuss what worked well and what could be improved. Document your findings to help next year’s team.
- Recruitment and Training: Start recruiting next year’s yearbook team. Provide training and resources to help them hit the ground running when school starts again.
By following this month-by-month guide, you’ll be able to manage the yearbook creation process with confidence and ensure that your school’s memories are beautifully captured in a well-organized, visually appealing yearbook.
Check out our blog for more tips and ideas to help you with your yearbook!
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When flipping through a magazine or book, what grabs your attention? Often, it’s the style, color, and content of headlines or keywords. In the world of yearbooks, captivating someone’s attention means creating stylish, fun headlines that compel readers to explore further.
Experienced designers understand the importance of crafting engaging copy. Eye-catching headlines, captions, and sub-headlines aim to make readers stop and engage with the content.
But you don’t want all of that fun, engaging content to look scattered. There is something to be said about maintaining a consistent design throughout your book. But consistency does not have to be boring. Creating your own unique “Style Guide” helps bridge that gap.
A style guide is a road map that your entire design team can follow to help create a cohesive look to your book. In terms of “words on the page”, key considerations include headline sizes, body copy points for different content levels, and maintaining a cohesive theme throughout. Sub-headlines, body copy, and quote collection styles should be clear and engaging, with variations based on coverage levels.
Font Style Tips for School Yearbooks:
- Most HEADLINES should be a minimum of 30 points, with the primary headline occasionally reaching 100 points or more. Primary headlines often introduce a section of your yearbook. For example, your largest Primary Headlines may include: Sports, Underclassmen, Clubs etc. While Headlines may introduce: Football, Soccer, Freshmen, etc. Other headline styles for different coverage levels should be smaller, with the Level Three headline at around 30 points or less. Headline styles should vary across sections while still aligning with the overall theme.
- SUBHEADLINES can range from 7-point to 10-point, depending on the associated coverage level.
- LEVEL ONE body copy should not exceed 10-point size. There should be only one Level One style for the entire publication, so consider making the initial words or sentence more prominent. Each spread should have only one Level One copy.
- LEVEL TWO body copy should not surpass 9-point size. You can have two Level Two styles, but ensure they feature distinct type combinations. Bolden the first words or sentence to capture readers’ attention.
- LEVEL THREE body copy should be a maximum of 8-point size. You can have two Level Three styles, each with unique type combinations. Bolden the first words or sentence to engage readers.
- QUOTE COLLECTION copy should not exceed 8 points, but it can be as small as 6-point bold italic. Maintain one consistent style for this less critical content on your spread.
Make sure to review all of the font styles available to you, keeping in mind that different font type sizes can be complementary and coupled together to create your own unique style.
>>> How to Design Captivating Yearbook Page Layouts
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